Irish Family Planning Association

The landslide victory of the Yes campaign in the May 2018 referendum paves the way for an end to decades of harms caused by the abortion ban (the 8th amendment) of the Irish Constitution.

Inserted in 1983, this provision prevented legal abortion in all cases except risk to a pregnant woman’s life. It has forced thousands of women and girls to leave Ireland to access care, to undergo illegal abortions or to continue pregnancy against their will.

Government expects to design ‘opt-in’ GP system for abortion
Doctors not participating will be obliged to refer patients elsewhere for treatment

June 12, 2018
Sarah Bardon Political Reporter

The Government is expected to design an opt-in system for medical professionals willing to provide abortion services and allow doctors conscientiously object to providing the care.

The legislation to regulate the termination of pregnancy, in line with the decision made in last month’s referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment, is being considered by the Attorney General Séamus Woulfe’s office.

The HSE has admitted liability and said it is willing to compensate a woman known as Ms Y for failing to provide her with an abortion when she first sought one.

Ms Y, a refugee who sought an abortion in Ireland after she was raped in her home country, is suing the state and two private counselling groups over her treatment after she requested, but was refused, an abortion.

GPs group calls on Harris to ensure doctors must 'opt in' to provide abortion services
The NAGP passed a series of motions after an emergency meeting today following the result of the referendum.

June 9, 2018

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of General Practitioners (NAGP) have held an emergency meeting to discuss the outcome of the Eighth Amendment referendum, and passed motions calling for an “opt-in” provision for doctors to provide abortion services.

The NAGP have also called for a conscientious objection provision to be inserted into any legislation passed by government in the wake of the referendum result.

Plan to draw up clinical guidelines to introduce abortion services
GP bodies and medical groups will be involved in consultation process, says Minister

May 29, 2018
Kevin O'Sullivan

Moves to draw up clinical guidelines for the introduction of abortion services will begin on Tuesday through a consultation process with GP bodies and medical organisations, Minister for Health Simon Harris has confirmed.

In tandem with this, Mr Harris said he wanted to make sure “medication that up to now has been illegal in Ireland can be now used in a safe, regulated and legal manner”.

The head of the inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar in 2012 has supported a Yes vote in the referendum on the Eighth Amendment “for the sake of women’s health and rights”.

Prof Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, former president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, addressed a press conference hosted by the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) in Dublin on Tuesday.

What is the situation with abortion in Ireland?
Orders for pills to end pregNancy rise as number going to UK for terminations drops

Fri, Dec 15, 2017
Ciarán D'Arcy

Current abortion regime in Ireland

Abortion is currently illegal in Ireland except in situations where a pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the mother, including suicidal ideation.

Of the 25 legal terminations performed in Ireland last year, only one was on the basis of suicidality. Just seven terminations were carried out between 2014 and 2016 under the grounds of suicidal ideation as included in the 2013 Act.

Tammy Wynette was right — sometimes it’s hard to be a woman. Ever more so, these days, when 21 parliamentarians gather in Leinster House each Wednesday to discuss abortion. It’s a topic guaranteed to elicit deeply held grievances, frustration, feelings of victimhood, accusations of prejudice and spittle-licking outrage at perceived injustices, and it does — from men.

Women are in a majority of one on the joint committee on the eighth amendment to the constitution. When its work is done, all of them ought to be awarded a medal, regardless of their personal views on abortion, for their sheer endurance and dignity. For to sit in that room with a womb — or the memory of having had one — is to be subjected to a sort of medieval torture.